After two years of wrangling, sign goes up at Felony Franks

August 11, 2011|By Ryan Haggerty | Tribune reporter

The owner of the West Side hot dog stand Felony Franks was finally able to hang a sign on his business today, but his beef with the city isn’t over.

Jim Andrews had been trying to get the city’s permission to install the sign since he opened the business — which employs ex-convicts and sells items such as the “cell mate dog” and “pardon Polish” sausage — more than two years ago.

But Ald. Robert Fioretti, 2nd, refused to sign off on the request, saying the stand’s name glorifies crime and harms the reputation of its Near West Side neighborhood.

A City Council committee held a hearing on the issue in May, but a tie vote left the matter in limbo. The next day, Andrews filed a federal lawsuit accusing the city of denying his free-speech rights.

The committee voted again on the issue in June and recommended approving the sign. A few days later, the full council approved the permit for the sign.

The yellow sign was hung above the shop at 229 S. Western Ave. this morning, showing a smiling hot dog wearing a black-and-white striped shirt standing in front of a jail cell. The sign advertises “food so good it’s criminal.”

It also proclaims the shop as the “home of the misdemeanor weiner,” using that spelling for wiener on both its sign and menu.

“I’m really happy with the sign,” Andrews said. “It came out beautiful.”

He’s not so happy with the city. His lawsuit seeking $293,000 in damages is still pending.

Fioretti, a defendant in the lawsuit, said today that he supports businesses that hire ex-convicts but that Felony Franks’ name sends the wrong message.

“We’re trying to create a positive image for our communities, and when you glorify crime, it doesn’t do that,” he said.

Either way, Andrews is celebrating his new sign — misdemeanor wieners are only $1.50 today and tomorrow, down from their usual price of $2.35.